Preserving jar cap and indicator



March 19, 1940. R. B. BUKOLT PRESERVING JAR CAP AND INDICATOR Filed Dec. 14, 1934 Wit 14000 Patented lVlar. 1 9, 1340 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRESERVING JAR CAP AND INDICATOR Roman B. Bukolt, Stevens Point, Wis.

Application December 14, 1934, Serial No. 'l5'l,5'15

2 Claims. (Cl. 215-43) The invention relates to a new and improved wardly when said disk is in its normal downwardcap for the usual glass jars used for the preservaly bowed position and in fact said peripheral portion of fruits, vegetables or other foodstuffs which tion remains inclined in any position of the disk. must be sealed hot with all air excluded for per- When the cap is applied to a jar and is tightened 5 feet preservation. to the proper extent for efiective sealing, the 5 The principal object of the invention is to pressure of the gasket 9 against the peripheral provide an exceptionally simple and inexpensive disk portion l0 causes the disk 8 to snap from its cap of unusual advantage, in that it will indicate normal downwardly bowed position (Fig. l) to in a novel way when it has been tightened to the an upwardly bowed position (Fig. 2), thus indiproper extent, willindicated whether all air has cating that the cap has been tightened to the 10 been evacuated from the jar before sealing, and proper degree and tightening should always be will indicated at all times after the jar is sealed, effected until the disk snaps to its upwardly bowed Whether air is leaking into it or any gas is forming position. within, the cap being therefore of inestimable Assuming that the jar is completely filled with value in the preservation of foodstuffs. .hot contents at the time of applying the cap, the 15 With t e fo e oing and other Obje s in VieW jar is set aside for cooling after the disk 8 snaps which will beco e appa nt as e es p to the position of Fig. 2. Later when the jar conproceeds, the invention resides in the novel subtents have cooled Somewhat and have consequentject matter hereinafter described and claimed, 1 created a partial vacuum in the jar, the disk description being accomplished by reference to 8 is pushed downwardly by hand to the position the eccompanymg drawmgseen in Fig. 3. If the disk will remain in this Figure 1 isavertical sectional view showing one position it shows that a fe t seal has been form of the invention, showing the position of the effected, for only partial vacuum within the cap top plate prior to Sufficient tightening the jar will hold the disk in the depressed position of Fig. 3. Therefore, if this disk will not stay 25 Flgure 2 1s a i sltmlar to 1 but luustrat' depressed, it indicates that all air was not evacumg the manner m whmh the top Q of the cap ated and the preserving process must be repeated. Snaps to an upwalidly l posmon when the After the jar has been finally sealed with the disk cap has been Sumclently tlghtened' 8 remaining in the position shown in Fig. 3, at

Figure 3 is another sectional view illustrating an 30 y time, this disk W111 show whether said Jar is th final downwardl osvz p s i tiil t vslfii is firced after cooling remammg properly sealed and Wm also mdlcate of the jar contents in which position it will the condition of the contents. If at any time, the main unless air enters the jar or gas is generated dlsk 8 0.601191% an .upwardly bowed, m it therein. shows either that a1r has been leaking into the 35 Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a different Jar or that gas is bemg generated Wlthm, and form of the invention. proper steps can be taken to rectify the cause of The cap shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a the trouble' d h threaded side wall 5 to engage the usual threaded when mvertetd an t welght of 40 neck 6 of a preserving jar I, a resilient lever-andthe conten S consequen 1y Supp ed by the 40 toggle-action snap disk or top plate 8 operatively d F an l f blow on the rim of the l? connected with said side wall to snap from a norstnkmg thls mm downwardly upon some oblect mal downwardly bowed position (Fig 1) to an will cause the disk to snap'again to the position upwardly bowed position (Fig. 2) and to a final Shown in F a 2, allowmg Openmg i e J t downwardly bowed position (Fig. 3), and a gasket comparative a A long as the disk is held in 45 9 of rubber or the like engaging the lower side lowered P0531011 by the Vacuum Wlthln the j of the peripheral portion of said disk to rest on it compresses the gasket 9 against t e jar neck the jar neck. Both the side wall 5 and the snap with extreme force to prov d an unusually e disk 8 are of course formed from suitable gage feotive seal. v

sheet-metal, and cold-rolled metal is preferred. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, 50

The disk 8 may be lightly peened or otherwise the disk 8 and the side wall 5 are separate from treated on its sides to radially expand the metal, each other and said side wall is provided with an causing said disk to snap in either direction past inwardly turned flange II which overlies and a central plane. The disk is so shaped that its rests upon the disk at the extreme edge of the 5 peripheral portion 10 inclines upwardly and outlatter, providing a fulcrum upon which the disk moves relatively to the wall I, during its snap action.

The center of the disk I is preferably provided with an upwardly stamped portion l2 showing the point at which the disk must be pressed to move it to its ilnal position (Fig. 3).

In Fig. 4, a disk Q corresponding to the disk I is integrally joined to the side wall 5' by a continuous yieldable bead IS. The peripheral portion III of this disk I co-acts with the gasket 9' in the same manner that the disk portion I 0 above described cooperates with the gasket 9.

In both forms of the invention, the operative connection between the peripheral edge of the snap disk or top 8 and the side wall I, is such that said disk or top may fulcrum about said peripheral edge as a hinge or pivot when said disk or top is moved from one bowed position to another. Furthermore, the disk is sufficiently still to actually pry downwardly upon the gasket 9 when the former is moved to downwardly bowed position, thus creating such a lever-action on said gasket as to forcibly compress the same in a fluid-tight manner.

It will be seen from the foregoing that novel provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention and while the details disclosed may be considered as preferred, it will of course be understood that minor variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A preserving jar cap and indicator comprising a side wall having means to engage a jar neck and move the cap downwardly when said cap is turned, a concave-convex spring-metal snap-disk having a peripheral fulcrum connection with said wall and occupying an upwardly bowed position when the cap is tightened, and a gasket on the lower side of the peripheral portion of said disk for compression upon the. Jar neck when the cap is tightened, said disk having suflicient radial stiffness to pry downwardly about said fulcrum connection when said disk is forced to a downwardly bowed position after cap tightening, said disk thereby exerting a lever action which forcibly compresses said gasket, said disk when occupying said downwardly bowed position being so tensioned that it cannot remain in said downwardly bowed position unless held therein by vacuum within the jar.

2. A preserving jar cap and indicator comprising a side wall having means to engage a jar neck and move the cap downwardly when said cap is turned, a concave-convex springmetal snap disk having a peripheral fulcrum connection with said wall, said disk being tensioned to fulcrum about saidfulcrum connection and snap to and remain in either an upwardly bowed position or to a downwardly bowed position prior to cap application, said disk occupying said downwardly bowed position prior to tightening of the cap on the jar, and a gasket on the lower side of the peripheral portion of said disk for compression on the jar neck upon cap tightening, the tension of said disk being such that the upward pressure of said gasket when the cap is tightened will upwardly snap said disk about said fulcrum connection to said upwardly bowed positiomsaid disk having suiiicient radial stillness to pry downwardly about said fulcrum connection and forcibly compress said gasket when said disk is again downwardly snapped to a final downwardly bowed position; said disk when occupying said final downwardly bowed position being so tensioned that it cannot remain in said final downwardly bowed position unless held therein by vacuum within the jar.

ROMAN B. BUKOLT. 

